Track-gage.



P. M. STAVDAL.

TRACK GAGE APPLICATION FILED JULY18,1912.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

P. M. STAVDAL.

TRACK GAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 18,1912.

1,084,760. Patented Ja11.20, 1914.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

3 1 3 W" Iii H M MM P. M. STAVDAL.

TRACK GAGE.

APYLIOATION FILED JULYIB, 1912.

1,084,760, Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

a SHEETS-SHEET a. )/L%5- izo gl f 'wwew 3 14/ Maw j @7 M PETER M.S'I'AVDAL, OF NIGOLAUS, CALIFORNIA.

TRAGK-GAGE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 20, 1914.

Application filed. July 18, 1912. Serial No. 710,244.

To all whom it may cancer Be it known that 1, PETER M. STAVDAL, asubject of the King of Norway, residing at Nicolaus, in the county ofSutter and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Track-Gages, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in track gages and its object isto produce an improved device of this class adapted to registerautomatically the degree of separation or contraction of the rails.

With the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists inthe combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter fullydescribed in the following specification, pointed out in the claims andillus trated in the accompanying drawings which form a part of thespecification and in which- Figure 1 is a rear elevation partly insection of my improved track gage. Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of a portion of the device. Fig.at is a section taken on line 1- 1 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 isa section takenon line 5-5 of Fig. 41. Fig. 6 is an enlarged view of the tape employed.

Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views.

My gage comprises a frame 1 which rests upon suitable supports 2 thatare mounted upon a stationary axle 3. Upon the axle 3 wheels at movablelongitudinally thereof are disposed. The wheels are provided withrelatively inwardly extending hollow hubs 5 wherein one end of sleeves 6provided with apertured caps 7 are disposed and which sleeves extendlongitudinally of the stationary axle 3. The central portion of the axle3 is enlarged as at 8 and provided with collars 9 adjacent the ends ofthe said onlargement against which one end of springs 10 abut, theopposite end of the said springs resting against the caps 7 within thesleeves.

his construction permits the wheels to ride rails that are spread orcontracted out of their normal position. Upon either end of the axle 3stop-blocks 11 are provided which prevent the wheels running off theaxle.

One hub 5 of one wheel 4: is toothed upon its outer periphery as at 12for engagement with a toothed wheel 13 carried upon one end of a shaft11 which is supported in a bearing 15 secured to one of the supports 2and this shaft extends into a housing 16 in which it also obtains abearing. Vl ithin the said housing a spool 17 is disposed upon the shaft1 1 and this spool isin contact with spools 18 and 19 both made offlexible material and mounted, respectively, upon shafts 20 and 21journaled in the sides of the housing. 22 is another shaft journaled inthe sides of the housing 16 and upon which a spool of tape 23 isdisposed and against which a spring 21 presses to insure an even unwindof the said tape which is passed from the shaft 22 over the spool 17between the same and the spool 18 and about the shaft 21 whereon it iswound by rotation of the shaft 14:.

25 is a shaft to one end of which is secured an arm 26 that carries astylus 27 adapted to mark the tape 23 as it is passed beneath the sameover the spool 17. The shaft 25 passes through the axle 3 and throughthe housing 16 and carries a lever 28 at its lower extremity, theconnecting rods C of which connect with the sleeves 6, 6 of the gage.The shaft 25 is provided with a collar 29 adjacent the axle 3 which inconnection with the lever 28 regulates the movementof the shaft withinthe housing.

Operation: Rotation of the wheels 1, 4 upon the axle 23 rotates the hubs5 one of which is toothed and so engages with and rotates the wheel 13and its shaft 14 which rotates the spool 17 that through friction withthe spools 1S and 19 causes them to rotate thus winding the tape 23 uponshaft 21 and unwinding it from shaft 22. The dis tance between the railsA. determines the distance between the wheels 1 and the sleeves 6 towhich the lever 28 is connected which is connected to the shaft 25 thatcarries the stylus 27 that marks the tape 23. Contraction of thedistance between the rails will force one wheel 4- toward the otheragainst the tension of the springs 10 and will cause slight lateralmovement of the entire mechanism with the exception of one wheel' andthis contraction will cause the markings of the stylus 27 upon the tapeto approach one of the danger lines B on the tape. A spreading of therails will have the reverse effect and euse the stylus to record near orupon or beyond the opposite danger line B.

WVhat is claimed is 1. In combination, a frame mounted upon a stationaryaxle, wheels movable longitudinally of said axle, one of thesaidwheelsbeing toothed sleeves mounted upon the said stationary axleterminally engaging Within the said Wheels, flexible means disposedWithin said sleeves for keeping the same in position, a housing securedupon the stationary axle, a shaft passing through said housing and thesaid stationary axle, a lever connecting the said shaft and the saidsleeves, tape-carrying means disposed Within said housing, powertransmission mechanism connecting the said tape-carrying means and theaforesaid toothed Wheel, a tape secured to said tapecarrying means and astylus carried by the last named shaft for contact With the said tape.

2. The combination with a frame mount-ed uponv a stationary axleprovided with collars and with terminal Wheel-stops, of Wheels, one ofwhich is toothed, disposed upon said axle, sleeves formed With caps anddisposed upon said axle abutting said Wheels and encircling the saidcollars, springs disposed Within said sleeves between the caps thereofand the said collars, a housing secured upon the stationary axle, ashaft passing through said housing and the said stationary axle, a leverconnecting the said shaft and the said sleeves, tape-carrying mean-sdisposed Within said housing, power transmission mechanism connectingthe said tape-carrying, means and the aforesaid toothed Wheel, a tapesecured to said tapecarrying means and a stylus carried by the lastnamed shaft for contact With the said tape.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my oWn I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of tWo subscribing Witnesses.

, PETER M. STAVDA'L. lVitnesses B. Dooxs'nnnn,

L. MORGAN.

Goples of this patent may be obtained for five cents'each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. 0.

